Guide 04
Fluted vs smooth.
The bezel is the ring around the crystal, and it's where a case picks up its character. Here's how the two finishes differ, and which Eximius watch has which.
What actually differs
A smooth bezel is a polished, uninterrupted ring around the crystal. Nothing breaks up the line of the case — it's the quieter of the two, and it lets the dial be the only thing anyone notices.
A fluted bezel is cut into a series of vertical flutes, so it catches and breaks up light as your wrist moves rather than just reflecting it flat. It makes the case itself part of the design.
Side by side
Look
- Smooth bezel
- A single unbroken polished surface. Understated.
- Fluted bezel
- A ring of flutes that catch the light with movement.
Character
- Smooth bezel
- Clean and formal. Disappears under a cuff.
- Fluted bezel
- Dressier, with more presence on the wrist.
Best suited to
- Smooth bezel
- A build where you want the dial to be the only thing anyone notices.
- Fluted bezel
- A build where the case itself is meant to be part of the design.
| Smooth bezel | Fluted bezel | |
|---|---|---|
| Look | A single unbroken polished surface. Understated. | A ring of flutes that catch the light with movement. |
| Character | Clean and formal. Disappears under a cuff. | Dressier, with more presence on the wrist. |
| Best suited to | A build where you want the dial to be the only thing anyone notices. | A build where the case itself is meant to be part of the design. |
On an Eximius
You don't pick a bezel on its own. It comes with the case you choose, so the bezel, the movement and the bracelet all arrive as a matching set. The Mayfair and the Date Only watches, including "Who Cares? I'm Already Late", all have a fluted bezel with a Jubilee bracelet. The Riviera has a polished bezel on an integrated steel case. The spec list on each watch's page tells you exactly which bezel and bracelet it has.
See them on the real case in Build Your Watch, with the live price updating as you choose — or see where the price moves in one place first.